2010 Maison L’Orée Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières

Home to some of the world’s most extraordinary Chardonnays, Puligny-Montrachet, is nestled between Meursault to the north and Chassagne-Montrachet to the south in the Côte de Beaune. In the middle of the Premier Cru band lies Les Folatières, neighboring the renowned Grand Cru Chevalier vineyard site.

At 43.2 acres, it is the largest of the Premier Cru sites in Puligny-Montrachet. The vines slope steeply, in easily eroded limestone scree, from the northern half of the Montrachet hillside to an ideal southeasterly exposure, catching as much sunlight as the daytime can deliver. The hillsides above the village are of particular importance to Puligny, not only because the vines are angled toward the ripening rays of the morning sun, but also because they are above the village’s relatively high water table, thus stressing the vines. The climate consists of warm, dry summers and cool, extended winters. The soil structure and climate deliver the highest-quality grapes.

This wine shows its pedigree with a complex minerality on the nose, but remains restrained and balanced on the palate. The 2010 is slightly lighter and more linear on the palate, with more fineness and acidity than the 2009. It explodes with a vivacious freshness and the essence of lemon and lime flavors.